The launch of Sierra Leone’s first-ever NGO Week by Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh on Thursday, 27 February 2025, comes at a critical time when shrinking development aid financing threatens the sustainability of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
Dr. Jalloh, drawing from his extensive experience with international organizations like the United Nations and ECOWAS, underscored the need for NGOs to rethink their strategies and innovate to remain effective.
While NGOs have played a crucial role in complementing government efforts across the world, including the government of Sierra Leone, to alleviate poverty and strengthen communities, their ability to sustain their impacts is increasingly constrained by financial instability and operational challenges.
The Vice President’s call for NGOs to refine their approaches and prioritize community-owned interventions highlights the urgency for civil society organizations to diversify funding sources, embrace technology, and build stronger local partnerships to drive long-term development.
Beyond just acknowledging the role of NGOs, Dr. Jalloh’s emphasis on sustainability is a call to action. He recognized the persistent challenges of coordination, financing, and engagement and urged NGOs to move beyond traditional donor dependency by leveraging new global trends and opportunities.
His advocacy for greater dialogue between the government of Sierra Leone, the private sector, and NGOs aligns with a growing shift in development thinking, where sustainability is no longer just about funding but also about strategic resilience and self-reliance.
VP Juldeh Jalloh argues that if NGOs in Sierra Leone are to thrive in this changing landscape, they must “innovate, collaborate, and position themselves for long-term impact.”
